Janis Joplin’s SOULFUL Farewell with ‘Farewell Song’
Janis Says Farewell!
Only Janis Joplin could make a goodbye sound even better than a hello! Recorded in 1968 with Big Brother and The Holding Company, ‘Farewell Song’ is a rock ballad featuring Janis Joplin’s signature soulful, bluesy flavor.
We love ‘Farewell Song’ because while it’s clearly about her saying goodbye to a lover, it almost seems like Janis’ final goodbye to the people she loved – she knew she wasn’t long for this world and made the most of it.
“Now, now, now, now, good-bye,
I’ll see you sometime
And don’t be worried, everything’s just fine.
Babe, I don’t think
That I can keep from dyin’
And I’ve been dyin’.”
Believe it or not, this rendition of ‘Farewell Song’ isn’t even the final version – it’s an outtake!
Posthumously released in 1982, Janis’ album Farewell Song is a compilation of rare live performances and studio outtakes spanning her entire career.
A serious must-have item for any Janis fan, we think!
Check out this amazing outtake of ‘Farewell Song’ – we think the outtake sounds better than the final version! You’ll love her conviction, sorrow, and at the end, her joy. (mnspas.com)
Janis may have left us too young, but she also left us with a wealth of love to share in the form of her musical legacy!
+ Farewell Song lyrics +
Whoa, the last time that I saw ya
Child, I know, no, you didn’t say a word.
And I knew, darlin’ as I looked into your eyes
That my feelings, oh, they’d never been heard.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you about love,
Did you hear me, I said love,
Because it’s got to be such a long, long, way
From denyin’, from denyin’.
And I say, don’t say no, no, no to me no more.
And I believed in you all the time,
Honey, until I found out, you know, that I was so wrong.
Won’t you try and build a life with you,
Guess I should’ve known it, I guess I should’ve known it all along.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, let me hold you just once more
Babe, I ask you just once more
Because it’s got to be such a long, long way from cryin’
And I been cryin’ and I got tears in my eyes.
Yeah, but don’t you know when you love somebody that’s so precious
They can never, never, never be had very cheaply
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You’re gonna have to pay your dues
And sometimes, sometimes I guess you’re bound to lose.
Hey, but that’s the way
You’re gonna learn, learn, learn to love deeply.
Now oh God, I wish I could explain that myself,
‘Cause I know that it’s my fault, too.
It’s so easy to hurt you, darling,
It’s so hard, it’s hard not to do.
And I know that you showed me a new life
And you’ll always, you’ll always be my friend.
Yeah, but I don’t think, honey, that I can keep from tryin’
And I’ll be tryin’ and I been cryin’ for you, baby,
Yes, I have now.
Well, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me
What would I do without you, child ?
I’m afraid that I can’t say.
But I hope, honey, that when you will remember
Lord, it’ll be, it’ll be such a sunny day.
Now, now, now, now, good-bye,
I’ll see you sometime
And don’t be worried, everything’s just fine.
Babe, I don’t think
That I can keep from dyin’
And I’ve been dyin’.
I say now every day I die a little bit, babe
I say now every day I lose me someone in my heart
I’ve been lonely, lonely, look around baby
I said now I can’t help myself
I can’t help myself
I gotta find him, gotta, I gotta need him
‘Cause I gotta find my man, find my baby
‘Cause I gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta,
Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, yeah, gotta
Gotta, gotta, gotta, oh my Lord I gotta
Help me now now now now
Help me, babe, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
+ Farewell Song lyrics +
Whoa, the last time that I saw ya
Child, I know, no, you didn’t say a word.
And I knew, darlin’ as I looked into your eyes
That my feelings, oh, they’d never been heard.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you about love,
Did you hear me, I said love,
Because it’s got to be such a long, long, way
From denyin’, from denyin’.
And I say, don’t say no, no, no to me no more.
And I believed in you all the time,
Honey, until I found out, you know, that I was so wrong.
Won’t you try and build a life with you,
Guess I should’ve known it, I guess I should’ve known it all along.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, let me hold you just once more
Babe, I ask you just once more
Because it’s got to be such a long, long way from cryin’
And I been cryin’ and I got tears in my eyes.
Yeah, but don’t you know when you love somebody that’s so precious
They can never, never, never be had very cheaply
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You’re gonna have to pay your dues
And sometimes, sometimes I guess you’re bound to lose.
Hey, but that’s the way
You’re gonna learn, learn, learn to love deeply.
Now oh God, I wish I could explain that myself,
‘Cause I know that it’s my fault, too.
It’s so easy to hurt you, darling,
It’s so hard, it’s hard not to do.
And I know that you showed me a new life
And you’ll always, you’ll always be my friend.
Yeah, but I don’t think, honey, that I can keep from tryin’
And I’ll be tryin’ and I been cryin’ for you, baby,
Yes, I have now.
Well, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me
What would I do without you, child ?
I’m afraid that I can’t say.
But I hope, honey, that when you will remember
Lord, it’ll be, it’ll be such a sunny day.
Now, now, now, now, good-bye,
I’ll see you sometime
And don’t be worried, everything’s just fine.
Babe, I don’t think
That I can keep from dyin’
And I’ve been dyin’.
I say now every day I die a little bit, babe
I say now every day I lose me someone in my heart
I’ve been lonely, lonely, look around baby
I said now I can’t help myself
I can’t help myself
I gotta find him, gotta, I gotta need him
‘Cause I gotta find my man, find my baby
‘Cause I gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta,
Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, yeah, gotta
Gotta, gotta, gotta, oh my Lord I gotta
Help me now now now now
Help me, babe, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
Whoaa … Lord, Lord Lord Lord!!
